Jewellery Care
All jewellery is handmade in Brighton from high quality fair trade or recycled silver & where necessary it is hallmarked by the London Assay Office in accordance with the Hallmarking Act 1973.
Silver is a hardy precious metal, but to keep your silver jewellery looking its best you may want to follow these simple steps:
If left exposed in the open on a dresser or side table, silver can tarnish quite quickly. It's best to keep it in a proper jewellery storage box (not a presentation gift box), or in a something airtight like a plastic zip lock bag.
Chemicals can discolour & damaged precious metals, so jewellery doesn't mix well with chlorine, sun lotions, make-up, perfume, hairspray, body lotions & other everyday body products. Make sure you apply all lotions first, & then let them dry thoroughly before putting your jewellery on. Remove all jewellery before swimming or bathing.
Humidity, body oils & secreted acids can also discolour jewellery, so wearing it whilst exercising is not advisable.
If you do need to clean your silver jewellery, try cleaning it with warm soapy water & a soft toothbrush. If the item is heavily tarnished we recommend using a silver polishing foam or dip to restore it to it's natural bright finish, making sure you clean the item in warm soapy water before & after. Alternatively, please get in touch about getting your jewellery professionally cleaned & refurbished in the workshop & we'll be happy to help.
Oxidised silver has been treated to give the surface a black finish, effectively speeding up the 'tarnishing' process. Should you need to remove any dirt or residue, wipe it gently with a soft cloth. Silver dips & foam will strip the finish, so are best avoided.
Gold vermeil (pronounced ver-mey) is of a higher quality than standard gold plating. To start, the item must have a silver base (not copper, brass, or other base metals) to which an extra thick layer of high carat gold is applied. I use 2.5 microns of 23ct yellow gold for this layer (5 times thicker than standard plating), which gives a very warm, buttery glow to my pieces. All of the same storage & usage tips above still aply, & these items should be cleaned carefully with a soft cloth to gently wipe away an dirt or residue. Silver dips, cleaning foam, polishing agents & compounds will deplete the finish, so are best avoided.
